Australians Attend Anzac Day Dawn Services Around The Country

A war veteran walks in front of the Cenotaph during the annual dawn service commemoration on ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corp) Day in central Sydney, Australia, April 25, 2016. REUTERS/David Gray TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Australians made their way to dawn services across the nation on Monday to pay their respects to Australian servicemen and women, while also marking the 101st anniversary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli.

In Canberra, crowds of about 55,000 filled Anzac Parade with War Memorial director Brendan Nelson addressing the crowd, emphasising that the values of the Anzacs were ingrained in Australian culture now more than ever.

Thousands also gathered in Adelaide and across South Australia to pay their respects, with the chairman of South Australia’s Anzac Day committee, Ian Smith, saying that on the 101st anniversary of the Gallipoli landings it was important to reflect on the tragedy of war, rather than military glory.

War veterans and relatives display their medals.

“Australians took thousands and thousands of casualties and it really was a baptism of fire for the Australians on the Western Front,” he said.